Pronunciation
by Vannessa Hillstead
Summary: Jounouchi needs help with school, and Anzu reluctantly assists. [JouxAnzu]


Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: This story is set before the start of the manga.

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Mazaki Anzu was often considered one of the smartest, and most helpful students in Class 2-B. People often came to her for help on assignments, as they were seldom brave enough to even attempt to ask Kaiba Seto. She never minded, and enjoyed being able to help. 

She just never thought that the one asking her for help would be Jounouchi.

He had set the textbook down on her desk, and mumbled, "I need help," under his breath, his eyes downcast. Anzu could tell that he definitely didn't want to be asking her for help--academic help, no less.

Truth be told, Anzu would've gladly turned him down. He was a thug that enjoyed picking on Yuugi, and generally making people's lives hell. But, for some reason, she found herself asking, "What do you need help with?"

He looked up, and for a second, Anzu was sure that she saw him smirk. She dismissed it as a trick of the light, and told him to sit down in the desk next to her.

"You're having trouble with Japanese?" she questioned, eying him suspiciously.

Jounouchi had been staring off in the opposite direction at his friend Honda, who appeared to be trying to talk to Miho--well, probably not at his friend, but the girl standing next to him. When Anzu questioned him, he whipped his head around to face her.

"Uh, no, I'm failing English."

"This is a textbook for a Japanese class," Anzu said, still suspicious about his claims.

Jounouchi stared at her for a moment, as if trying to search for an answer that would not envoke her wrath. He glanced over in the direction of his friend, before his eyes met Anzu's once again.

"I'm also having trouble with Japanese."

Anzu raised an eyebrow, and started flipping through the pages of the book, "So what exactly are you having trouble with?"

"Pronounciation."

Anzu stared at him for a few seconds, "Pronounciation. You speak the language; why would you be having trouble with that?"

For a second, she was sure that she saw Honda, Jounouchi's friend, mouth something to him, and then point to her. But when she looked to see if Honda had even looked in the same direction, he had already turned back to Miho.

"The truth is that I'm not doing very well in any of my classes," Jounouchi said, sounding a bit sad, "and I was hoping that you could help me."

There was still something about him that she didn't trust. This just wasn't like him to come to her for help in one of his classes. She had always gotten the impression that he couldn't care less, so the fact that the two of them were talking to each other civally, instead of enemies seemed a little bizarre.

Anzu flipped to one of the pages in the book, "You know what this word says, right?"

Jounouchi shrugged, "It says 'Gomen.'"

"How about this one?" she pointed to another word.

He rolled his eyes, "Mizu."

"You don't have any problems pronouncing the words," she remarked, "so why did you even bother to ask for help?"

Jounouchi shifted in his seat, and scanned the pages of the book that were in front of him. His eyes lit up, apparently having found what he had been looking for. He pointed to a word on one of the pages.

"I can't pronounce that one."

Anzu rolled her eyes, "Aishiteru."

Jounouchi snickered. "I love you too, Anzu."

She glared at him, before saying, "Leave me alone."

"Whatever you say, my love," he joked.

"Hey, Jounouchi!" called a voice. Honda rushed over to the two of them, accidently bumping into his friend. This was enough to cause Jounouchi to lean forward, and kiss his reluctant tutor. The second that their lips touched, they sprang apart.

Jounouchi got up out of the seat, and followed his friend back to the opposite side of the classroom, as far away from Anzu as they could possibly get.

Anzu, who was still shuddering due to the incident, did not happen to notice Honda giving all the yen that had been in his pockets to Jounouchi--nor did she notice the extremely smug look on his face, either.


End file.
